interior browning is normal transplant shock ...

you missed perfect planting time.. so they are having a hard time pumping enough water to maintain all its needles ...

its all about the growth tips and whether they are going to do ok ....

a picture would worth worth another 1000 words of speculation ...

water should be provided WHEN IT NEEDS WATER .... not on some schedule ....

insert finger.. and water when the soil is dry or hot.;. MOST conifers need to nearly dry in between waterings ....

proper mulch is extremely helpful

good luck

ken

Same thing happended to me with an Italian Stone Pine. Lower needles all died and dropped off. Fast forward a few months and it's green and vibrant at the tips, even in this miserable heat. Seems to have overcome transplant shock.

Transplant shock. And pines in general are adapted to lower moisture conditions.

Dan

one further key ....

you do NOT put the hoses away early in fall ...

these CONIFERS .. and trees ... need proper moisture ... right up to ground freeze or through winter ....

you might think the trees are dormant in early october... but roots continue to grow.. and you can NOT drought them out in nov or dec ....

BUT YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL THAT THE ROOTS DO NOT FREEZE INTO AN ICE CUBE LATE IN THE SEASON ....

they need water all winter where the ground doenst freeze.. but with cold days and cold nights.. it isnt all that much... just dampness ..

WITHOUT PROPER MOISTURE IN WINTER.. YOU CAN GET THE SAME interior BROWNING IN SPRING ....

FOR ME IN MY ZONE 5 ... winter is actually the longest drought of the year.. since all the water is ice or snow ... millions of gallons everywhere.. totally unavailable to the suspended animation plants ... so it is imperative.. that they go into suspension.. full of water ... with all proper care regarding drainage ....

ken

thanks for the replies. here is a pic of the tree in question. sounds like shock and i shouldnt water to much. the winter prep sounds a little complicated. don't water to much but water them. is there a way to tell when you have water them enough? Someone said to wrap them in a burlap sack too and stack leaves or some insulation around the base?

http://www.flickr.com/photos/25179547@N03/3728478892/

it is difficult to see the browning in the picture but it is at the lower level on both trees and creeping upward.

I looked at the picture and the tree looks pretty good to me. I have several Austrian pines and mine do get a fair bit of dropped needles in the interior. I think it's normal. I think you watered it well the first week and may be overwatering it a bit now. I agree with Ken in checking with a finger poke into the soil at the dripline once or twice a week to check the moisture level. Let that be your guide as opposed to watering it every few days just because. My experience is that pines should be planted in spring before new growth starts. Considering the late planting, I think you're doing ok. As far as the fall goes, make sure you keep checking the moisture well into fall and water them well as you go into freezing temps. Don't let the trees dry out in the winter. If you don't have snow cover in the winter, water the trees at least monthly. If the temps aren't freezing I run a hose at a trickle for 20-30 minutes to saturate the rootball. I can't tell the size of the trees from the picture but if the tree is say 5 feet tall, I would give it 5-10 gallons of water each time I water, but it depends on the size of your tree, your soil and climate. If the ground around the tree is saturated and water is running off into other areas, that's too much water. You have the tree well mulched, I wouldn't bother doing more than that for the winter. A 2-3 inch layer of mulch should be enough, just don't pile it on the base of the tree. I leave a few inches around the truck bare, or the voles and mice make homes there.

nothing wrong with your pine ..

all normal ....

might happen again in spring.. if it dries too much in winter ....

just insert finger.. and insure there is DAMPNESS... not standing water .. as i said.. with cold days and cold nights.. there is NOT all that much to do late in the season.. other than CHECK moisture ... and a small drink if needed ...

ken

perfect. Thanks again for the responses. The trees are about 5 feet tall currently and are planted in North Dakota so our winters can get pretty brutal. It is rare for it to come above freezing for 3-4 months out of the year. The winds can howl and temps into -30's so the ground freezes solid. When we get closer to that time I will water trees right up to freeze as suggested using the techniques suggested and hope for the best.

How confusing. In june I purchased 5 trees from a local grower. They were dug and replanted the same day. They are 12 to 14 ft tall, it's been in the 100's here for the last few weeks with no relief in sight. I've built wells around them that hold probably 50 gal of water and i fill them every day and the water is gone the following am. They look good so far but after reading all i can find about watering i fear i might be overdoing it. Can you help me?

I was just wondering how to get a response to my question?

I added a 13 foot Austrian pine around may 1.
it seems to have a bit of a lighter green color-almost a tinge to it. is this transplant shock?

dakota

we need a picture..

and i suggest you start your own post .. perhaps in the conifer forum ...

ken

ps: perhaps if the person above you had done the same.. they would have gotten a response ...